Vermont

2026 VPA winter tournament pairings unveiled for Vermont HS girls basketball

Published

2 months ago

February 23, 2026

2026 VPA winter tournament pairings unveiled for Vermont HS girls basketball

The Vermont Principals’ Association has released its 2026 winter tournament pairings for high school girls basketball. Playoff schedules for boys basketball and boys and girls hockey will be announced after their regular seasons wrap by the end of the week.

The Division I girls basketball championship is slated for the University of Vermont’s Patrick Gym on Friday, March 6. The D-II, III and IV girls hoops finals are scheduled for Barre Auditorium on Saturday, March 7. For boys basketball, the D-I final at Patrick Gym will be Thursday, March 12, and the D-II/III/IV finals are set for Barre Aud on Saturday, March. 14.

UVM’s Gutterson Fieldhouse will host a quadruple championship tilt for boys and girls hockey (D-I and D-II matchups) on Sunday, March 15.

(Editor’s note: This file will be updated nightly during playoff season by the Burlington Free Press sports department. Schedules and game times subject to change).

GIRLS BASKETBALL

DIVISION I

Playdowns

Tuesday, Feb. 24

Games at 7 p.m. unless noted

Game 1: No. 13 Rice (2-18) at No. 4 North Country (17-3)

Game 2: No. 12 BFA-St. Albans (7-13) at No. 5 Champlain Valley (14-6)

Game 3: No. 10 Burlington (7-13) at No. 7 Burr and Burton (9-11)

Game 4: No. 11 South Burlington (8-12) at No. 6 Essex (9-11)

Wednesday, Feb. 25

Game 5: No. 9 Colchester (9-11) at No. 8 Brattleboro (9-11), 7 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Friday, Feb. 27

Games at 7 p.m. unless noted

Game 6: Winner of Game 5 at No. 1 Mount Mansfield (19-1)

Game 7: Winner of Game 1 vs Winner of Game 2

Game 8: Winner of Game 3 at No. 2 Rutland (18-2)

Game 9: Winner of Game 4 at No. 3 St. Johnsbury (15-5)

Semifinals

Monday, March 2

At Patrick Gym (6/7:30 p.m.)

Game 10: Winner of Game 6 vs Winner of Game 7

Game 11: Winner of Game 8 vs Winner of Game 9

D-I championship

Friday, March 6

At Patrick Gym

Game 12: Winner of Game 10 vs Winner of Game 11, 7 p.m.

Watch Vermont high school games on NFHS Network

DIVISION II

Playdowns

Tuesday, Feb. 24

Games at 7 p.m. unless noted

Game 1: No. 9 U-32 (6-14) at No. 8 Otter Valley (8-11)

Game 2: No. 12 Mount Abraham (2-18) at No. 5 Middlebury (15-5)

Game 3: No. 10 Harwood (6-13) at No. 7 Spaulding (9-10)

Wednesday, Feb. 25

Game 4: No. 11 Missisquoi (6-14) at No. 6 Lake Region (11-9), 7 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Date and time, TBD

Game 5: Winner of Game 1 at No. 1 Lamoille (19-0)

Game 6: Winner of Game 2 at No. 4 Fair Haven (16-4)

Game 7: Winner of Game 3 at No. 2 Hartford (19-1)

Game 8: Winner of Game 4 at No. 3 Milton (18-2)

Semifinals

Wednesday, March 4

At Barre Auditorium (5:30/7:30 p.m.)

Game 9: Winner of Game 5 vs Winner of Game 6

Game 10: Winner of Game 7 vs Winner of Game 8

D-II championship

Saturday, March 7

At Barre Auditorium

Game 11: Winner of Game 9 vs Winner of Game 10, 3:45 p.m.

DIVISION III

Playdowns

Tuesday, Feb. 24

Game 1: No. 12 BFA-Fairfax (9-11) at No. 5 Vergennes (15-4), TBD

Wednesday, Feb. 25

Games at 7 p.m. unless noted

Game 2: No. 9 Green Mountain (9-10) at No. 8 White River Valley (12-8)

Game 3: No. 13 Winooski (6-14) at No. 4 Bellows Falls (15-5)

Game 4: No. 15 Mill River (6-14) at No. 2 Windsor (14-6)

Game 5: No. 10 Randolph (7-12) at No. 7 Enosburg (12-8)

Game 6: No. 14 Thetford (5-15) at No. 3 Oxbow (14-6)

Game 7: No. 11 Woodstock (9-11) at No. 6 Peoples (13-7)

Quarterfinals

Saturday, Feb. 28

Games at 2 p.m. unless noted

Game 8: Winner of Game 2 at No. 1 Hazen (17-2)

Game 9: Winner of Game 1 vs Winner of Game 3

Game 10: Winner of Game 5 vs Winner of Game 4

Game 11: Winner of Game 7 vs Winner of Game 6

Semifinals

Thursday, March 5

At Barre Auditorium (5:30/7:30 p.m.)

Game 12: Winner of Game 9 vs Winner of Game 8

Game 13: Winner of Game 11 vs Winner of Game 10

D-III championship

Saturday, March 7

At Barre Auditorium

Game 14: Winner of Game 13 vs Winner of Game 12, 7:30 p.m.

DIVISION IV

Playdowns

Tuesday, Feb. 24

Games at 7 p.m. unless noted

Game 1: No. 9 Blue Mountain (9-11) at No. 8 Long Trail (11-9), 6:30 p.m.

Game 2: No. 16 Twinfield/Cabot (1-18) at No. 1 Richford (17-2)

Game 3: No. 12 Poultney (8-12) at No. 5 Williamstown (11-8)

Game 4: No. 15 Stowe (2-18) at No. 2 Mt. St. Joseph (17-2)

Game 5: No. 10 Twin Valley (9-10) at No. 7 Rivendell (10-10)

Game 6: No. 14 Proctor (3-17) at No. 3 West Rutland (12-8)

Game 7: No. 11 Danville (7-12) at No. 6 Arlington (12-8)

Wednesday, Feb. 25

Game 8: No. 13 Sharon (7-13) at No. 4 Mid Vermont Christian (4-2), 7 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Friday, Feb. 27

Games at 7 p.m. unless noted

Game 9: Winner of Game 2 vs Winner of Game 1

Game 10: Winner of Game 8 vs Winner of Game 3

Game 11: Winner of Game 5 vs Winner of Game 4

Game 12: Winner of Game 7 vs Winner of Game 6

Semifinals

Monday, March 2

At Barre Auditorium (5:30/7:30 p.m.)

Game 13: Winner of Game 9 vs Winner of Game 10

Game 14: Winner of Game 11 vs Winner of Game 12

D-IV championship

Saturday, March 7

At Barre Auditorium

Game 15: Winner of Game 13 vs Winner of Game 14, noon

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Vermont

Vermont lawmakers reject digital lottery initiative – Valley News

Published

33 minutes ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

Vermont lawmakers reject digital lottery initiative – Valley News

A plan by Gov. Phil Scott’s administration to make all of the state’s lottery games, including scratch-off tickets, available on a person’s phone never got off the ground at the Statehouse this year.

Lottery Commissioner Wendy Knight told lawmakers in January that the plan was a way to modernize the lottery “because you need to keep pace with technology — you need to meet your players where they are.”

Fifteen states have created a “digital” lottery system, and many have discovered there’s a distinct market of people who don’t buy lottery tickets at retail outlets but will do so on their phones, according to Knight. “We’re trying to ensure the future of the Vermont Lottery, ” the commissioner said.

But state lawmakers have not been persuaded.

Vergennes Rep. Matt Birong, the Democratic chair of the House government operations committee, said members of the panel felt this year was not the time to move forward with this plan, especially given the recent legalization of sports betting.

“It is digitizing a current system and after moving forward with the sports wagering — people just wanted to take their time with it — so my committee decided to tap the brakes on further testimony.”

The administration estimated that the plan would have raised roughly $5 million a year for the state’s education fund after two years of implementation.

The prospect of that additional revenue is appealing to lawmakers, and Birong said they may reconsider the plan next year.

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Vermont

Wrong-way driver stopped on I-89, charged with DUI

Published

13 hours ago

April 19, 2026

Press Room

Wrong-way driver stopped on I-89, charged with DUI

BOLTON, Vt. (WCAX) – A wrong-way driver was safely stopped on Interstate 89 overnight Sunday.

Vermont State Police say just before 12:30 a.m., they stopped the car near marker 77, near Bolton.

The driver, Denise Lear, 60, of Revere, was charged with driving under the influence and gross negligent operation.

Lear is expected in court Monday.

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Vermont

Women’s Lacrosse Bested in Burlington by Vermont – University at Albany Great Danes

Published

1 day ago

April 18, 2026

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Women’s Lacrosse Bested in Burlington by Vermont – University at Albany Great Danes

Score: UAlbany 4, Vermont 14

Location: Virtue Field | Burlington, Vt.

Records: UAlbany (10-5, 5-1 America East) | Vermont (8-6, 4-1 America East)

Short Story: UAlbany women’s lacrosse fell to the Vermont Catamounts on Saturday afternoon.

Key Stats

Grace Cincebox recorded a total of 14 saves with 13 goals allowed for a .565 save percentage.

Ravan Marsell led the Great Danes with two points on one goal and one assist.

Four different UAlbany players scored in the contest.

Reggie Williams was the team’s leader with three ground balls.

Delilah Mile caused a team high three turnovers.

How It Happened

The Catamounts came out of the gates hard and heavy, scoring all three goals between both sides in the first quarter.

Vermont would take an 8-0 lead in the second quarter before Amanda Williamson found the back of the net on a women-down goal to put the Great Danes on the board and make it 8-1.

The Great Danes would allow one more goal in the first half to trail 9-1 after 30-minutes of play.

Grace Cincebox would enter the half with 10 saves.

Riley Forthofer started the Great Danes off in the second half to make it a 9-2 game, before Vermont put up three more goals to take a 12-2 lead entering the final quarter of play.

Mya Carroll and Ravan Marsell both scored on back-to-back free-position goals to make it a 12-4 game.

The Catamounts finished the game with two more goals to take the win 14-4.

Up Next
The Great Danes will next have a bye week and wait to see the outcome of next week’s Vermont vs UMass Lowell game to see who will host the America East Tournament.

Social Central: Stay up to date with UAlbany women’s lacrosse by following the team on Instagram (@UAlbanyWLax), Facebook (UAlbany Women’s Lacrosse), and X (@UAlbanyWLax) for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the year.

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